Survey finds increased interest in online car buying

When it comes to buying a new car, no longer are people only going to car lots to 'kick the tires', as the saying goes. According to new data from eBay Advertising, a growing number of consumers are showing interest in both researching and buying cars online.

Researching safety specs and amenities for cars online has been going on since the dawn of the Internet age. But, until recently, actually buying the car still took place on a car lot - or, sometimes, in the front yard of a second-party seller. But, according to eBay Advertising research, car buying is moving into the digital age, as well.

Researchers found that most (63%) of consumers in their new survey are 'extremely likely' or 'likely' to buy a car online in the future, with men outnumber women in the interest department about two to one. Reasons for buying online ranged from convenience and variety to online pricing.

"Technology continues to evolve the automotive shopping journey," said Josh Wetzel, Senior Director of Sales and Marketing at eBay Advertising. "Consumers are already executing pre-purchase activities related to online research with increased interest in online automotive experiences. As more consumers continue to embrace automotive ecommerce for vehicles; enhanced experiences and technologies like virtual reality and artificial intelligence will continue to drive a larger shift to online purchasing."

Other interesting findings from the report include:

• 87% of those surveyed are already comparison shopping and looking at auto reviews online
• 71% say they prefer sharing news about their new car buy in person, not through social media or mobile
• 76% of those looking for a car say they 'would prefer' buying ditally through eBay Motors